Fence post anchor



Oct. 27, 1959 J. LIONBERGER 2,910,149

FENCE PosT ANCHOR Filed June 13, 1955 i i jf k i i I United States Patent Q 2,910,149 i FENCE PosT ANCHOR Jack Lionberger, Colusa, lll. Application June 13, 1955, Serial No. 515,039

4 Claims. (Cl. 18929) c This invention relates to a fence post anchor, and more particularly to an anchor for a metal fence post of T cross section.

The invention constitutes an improvement over the device shown in my prior U.S. Patent No. 2,705,548, dated April 5, 1955, so far as applicability to a post of T cross section is concerned.

As more fully set forth in my aforesaid prior patent, metal fence posts have a tendency to work themselves out of ground under certain circumstances. It is desirable, therefore, to provide an anchor device which effectively resists this tendency.

One object of-the invention is to provide an anchor for a metal fence post of T cross section which can be yapplied without any structural alteration of the post whatsoever. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor of a single size and shape which properly tits substantially all commercially available metal fence posts of T cross section.

Still another object of the invention isto provide an anchor which easily is applied to a fence post by means of a sharp hammer blow. f

. Another object isto provide afence post anchor that does not interfere appreciably with the act of driving the post into the ground and which pivots outwardly in response to forces which tend to uproot the post. When in outward position, the anchor effectively resists further forces applied in directions to otherwise uproot the post.

Briefly stated, the fence post anchor of this invention comprises a generally triangular metal plate having a short side and a bite portion opposite the short side. The short side of the plate has oppositely extending lateral lugs which are curved rearwardly of the plate to formretaining hooks. -These hooks loosely embrace edges of the fence post. The plate is provided with a boss-receiving apertureadjacent the Vshort side",v and the aperture is formed Vtoprovide a retaining tongue facing the short side.

An anchor as Aabove-described is applied to lthe lower end of a standard metal fence post of T cross section. The portion of the post forming the head of the T is here called the main flange and the portion of the post constituting the stem of the T is called the web. The exposed face of the main ange has a plurality of spaced bosses, and the present anchor is associated with the lowermost boss.

The anchor is applied to the lowermost end of the post, the lateral lugs loosely embracing the edges of the main flange in such manner that a certain amount of hinge action is provided. With the anchor at the outer hinge limit, the tongue formed by the aforesaid aperture engages the lowermost boss of the post. The bottom of the anchor is struck a sharp hammer blow, and the resilience of the lugs and the tongue permits the tongue to pass over the boss and the boss to enter the aperture. The lugs embracing the main flange and the boss extending through the aperture cooperate to secure the anchor in ice that the descriptionandfdrawing are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be measured by the appended claims.

In 'the drawing: Fig. 1is` a front view of a fence post of T cross section, an anchor embodying the invention being applied to the lowermostl end of the' post;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationalview of the fence post shown in Fig. 1, dotted lines being used to illustrate the hinged relationship between the anchor and the post;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of a fence post anchor embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the anchor shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7 7 of Fig. 1, this View illustrating the T cross section of the fence post.

Referring now to the drawing, a metal fence post of T cross section is designated 10. Post 10, as best shown in Fig. 7, comprises a main flange lland a web 12. The front face of main ange 11 has a plurality of centrally located, spaced bosses 13 which function generally to retain the position of the fence wire applied to the post.

A xed plate 15 is shown applied to post 10, the function of plate 15 being to resist forces tending to tilt the post.

a fence post anchor 20 embodying the invention is shown f applied to this end ofthe post.

Referring to Figs. 3 6, anchor 20 comprises an elongated generally triangular metal plate having a base or short side 21 and a bite portion 22. Bite portion 22, which has a substantially sharp point, is located opposite short side 21, as shown in Figs. 3- and 4. Bite portion 22 is inclined or curved forwardly of the main plane of the triangular plate (Fig. 2).

Short side or base 21 of the generally triangular plate has loppositely extending lateral lugs 25 and 26. The lugs are curved rearwardly of the plate to form retaining hooks, as best shown in Fig. 5. Preferably the free end portions 27 and 28 of the hooked lugs are inclined to the .plane of the plate (Figs. 5 and 6) in order that the hinge action of the hooked lugs will be accentuated. As previously mentioned, the hooked lugs loosely embrace the edges of main flange 11 of the fence post.

Anchor 20 has a boss-receiving aperture 30 adjacent short side 21' and in alignment with the sharp point of bite portion 22. Aperture 30 is' formed to provide a retaining tongue 31 which faces short side 21, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. Tongue 31 preferably is inclined rearwardly of the plate (Fig. 6).

An anchor 20 is applied to end 18 of a fence post 10 by sliding the hooked lugs 25 and 26 along the edge portions of main llange 11. The anchor slides freely along the main llange until tongue 31 engages lowermost boss 13 of the post. The anchor is given a sharp hammer blow to force tongue 31 over boss 13. The resilience of the lugs 25-26 and tongue 31 permits tongue 31 to pass over lowermost boss 13 which thereafter protrudes through aperture v30.

The comparatively loose fit between hooked lugs 25'- 26 with inclined end portions 27 and 28 and main flange 11 permits hinge action between the outer full line posi tion of anchor 20 in Fig. 2 and the inner position shown in dotted lines 32,

When the fence post is driven into the ground, anchor 20 assumes the inner position shown in dotted lines 32. Forces tending to uproot the post cause portion 22 of the anchor to bite into the ground. Continuation of these forces causes anchor 20 to fan out toward the full line position in Fig. 2 thereby forming an eiective anchor to resist further uprooting forces. Tongue 31 is effective t retain anchor 2b in proper position on the fence post.`

From the above description it is thought that the construction and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilied in the art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or losing the advantages of the invention(v Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentis 1. A fence post anchor for attachment to a lmetal fence post of the type having a main iiange and a central boss on the main ange, said fence post anchor comprising an elongated metal plate having a base and a pointed bite portion opposite said base, said bite portion curved forwardly of said plate lateral lugs extending oppositely from the ends of said base and curving` rearwardly of said plate to form retaining hooks for loosely embracing the edges of the main flange of the fence post, said plate having a boss-receiving aperture adjacent said base, and in alignment with said pointed bite portion, and a tongue extending toward said base at the margin of said aperture remote from said base, said tongue having a resilient characteristic whereby, when the anchor is applied to a fence post with said lateral lugs embracing the main flange, said tongue is yieldable and thus adapted to pass over the central boss and permit same to enter said aperture, after which said tongue returns to original position and is adapted to prevent withdrawal of the boss from said aperture, said lugs adapted to provide a limited hinge Vrelationship between said anchor and the tence post without structural alteration of the fence post.

2. In combination, a metal fence post of the type having a main flange and a central boss on the main flange, and a fence post anchor, said fence post anchor comprising an elongated metal plate having a base and a pointed bite portion opposite said base, said bite portion curved forwardly of said plate, lateral lugs extending oppositely from the ends of said base and curving rearwardly of said plate to form retaining hooks loosely embracing the edges of said main flange `whereby said plate has a limited hinge relationship with said fence post, said plate having a boss-receiving aperture therein, said boss extending into said aperture, the edge of said aperture nearest the pointed bite portion of said plate spaced from said plate base by a distance whereby said edge interferes with the -free entrance of said boss into said aperture when said plate with said retaining hooks embracing the edges of the main ilange is moved point-irst along said post toward said boss and whereby application of reasonable torce to said plate causes distortions which permit said boss to enter said aperture to` fix said plate longitudinally With respect to said post, said anchor adapted to pivot outwardly of said post in response to forces tending to uproot the post and thus provide eiective resistance to said forces.

3. In combination, a metal fence post of the type having a main ange and a boss on the main flange, and a fence post anchor, said fence post anchor comprising an elongated metal plate having a base and a pointed bite portion opposite said base, said bite portion curved forwardiy of said plate, lateral lugs extending oppositely from said base and curving rearwardly of said plate and around the edges of said main flange to form loosely itting retaining hooks providing a hinge relationship bev tween said anchor and Said post, the free end portions of said lugs having an outwardly inclined relation to the plane of said plate in direction leading away from said base, said plate having a boss-receiving aperture adjacent said base, said boss extending into said aperture, and a tongue extending toward said base at the margin of said aperture remote from 'saidbase, said tongue yieldabl'e and resilient kto permit said boss to enter said aperture and thereafter to retain said boss in said aperture in cooperation with the walls of said aperture and said lugs, whereby said anchor is secured longitudinally of said post and the hinge relationship is provided without structural alteration of said fence post.

4. In combination, a metal fence post of the type having a main ange and a boss on the main ange, and a fence post anchor, said fence post anchor comprising an elongated metal vplate having a base and a pointed bite portion opposite said base, said bite portion curved forwardly of said plate, lateral lugs extending oppositely from said base and curving rearwardly of said plate and around the edges of said main ange to `form loosely fitting retaining hooks providing a hinge relationship lbetween said anchor` and said post, said plate having a boss-receiving aperture `adjacent said base, said boss extending into said aperture, and a tongue 'etxending toward said base at the margin of said aperture remote from said base, said tongue yieldable and resilient to permit said boss to enter said aperture and thereafter to retain said boss in said aperture incooperation with the walls of said aperture and said lugs, whereby said anchor is secured `longitudinally ofV said post and the hinge relationship'is provided without structural alteration of said fence post.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSY 2,779,240 Gaydos Jan. 29, 1957 

